Three new US races in expanded UCI Americas Tour

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The UCI published its 2017 road calendars this weekend, confirming two new men's races in the USA for the coming season as part of its UCI Americas Tour circuit. The Tour of Colorado, a four-day UCI 2.HC race is set for August 10-13, and the Commonwealth Cycling Classic in Virginia, a four-day 2.1 event, follows from August 24-27.

The pair of races take the place of the former USA Pro Challenge, which will not take place in 2017, and somewhat make up for the fact that the Tour of California has joined the UCI WorldTour, and may exclude the Continental teams from the race.

There are 49 days of non-WorldTour UCI racing on the North American calendar for 2017 compared with 42 days including Tour of California in 2016. The UCI Americas Tour increased from 21 races last season to 31 events in 2017.

In those 49 days of racing is a new UCI 1.2 one-day race, the Gran Prix of Boise, which was added to the calendar on July 14 for men and women. The weekend is also the date for the Andersen Banducci Twilight Criterium. The Cascade Classic, which was UCI 2.2-ranked for women only in 2016 will be 2.2 for men and women in 2017.

The women's calendar remains mostly the same, with the addition of Boise to make 19 days of UCI races in North America and five Women's WorldTour days between the Tour of California and Philadelphia Classic.

Other changes to the US calendar include shifts in the Joe Martin Stage Race and Tour of the Gila, which move back several weeks, with Joe Martin now beginning March 30 and Tour of the Gila on April 19.

In South America, the Vuelta Ciclista a la Provincia de San Juan in Argentina was confirmed on the calendar as a UCI 2.1 stage race. It takes place one week after the now-cancelled Tour de San Luis, from January 24-29.

Brazil significantly adding to its presence in the schedule. In 2016 the Olympic hosts had one stage race. In 2017 they have added back the Volta Ciclistica Internacional do Paraná, Tour do Rio and Copa América de Ciclismo, which were last UCI-ranked in 2015, and the Tour de Santa Catarina, last held in 2013 and the Tour do Brasil, last held in 2014.

The Vuelta Mexico returns to the calendar in March after a year's absence.

2017 UCI Americas Tour

11-Dec-16: Gran Premio de San José (CRc) 1.2
13-25 Dec 16 : Vuelta Popular a Costa Rica (CRc) 2.2
16-22 Jan 17 : Tour de San Luis (Arg) 2.1 (cancelled)
24-29 Jan 17 : 35 Vuelta Ciclista a la Provincia de San Juan (Arg) 2.1
15-19 Feb 17 : Tour de Costa Rica (CRc) 2.2
26 Feb 17 - 05 Mar 17 : Vuelta Independencia Nacional Republica Dominicana (Dom) 2.2
12-19 Mar 17 : Vuelta Mexico (Mex) 2.1
29 Mar 17 - 02 Apr 17 : Volta Ciclística Internacional do Rio Grande do Sul (Bra) 2.2
30 Mar 17 - 02 Apr 17 : Joe Martin Stage Race (USA) 2.2
07-16 Apr 17 : Vuelta Ciclista del Uruguay (Edición Nº 74) (Uru) 2.2
19-23 Apr 17 : Tour of the Gila (USA) 2.2
17-21 May 17 : Tour do Rio (Bra) 2.2
29-May-17: Winston Salem Cycling Classic (USA) 1.1
31 May 17 - 04 Jun 17 : Volta Ciclistica Internacional do Paraná (Bra) 2.2
4-Jun-17: Philadelphia International Cycling Classic (USA) 1.1
08-11 Jun 17 : Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay (Can) 2.2
14-18 Jun 17 : Tour de Beauce (Can) 2.2
9-Jul-17: White Spot / Delta Road Race (Can) 1.2
14-Jul-17: Grand Prix of Boise (USA) 1.2
19-23 Jul 17 : Cascade Cycling Classic (USA) 2.2
28 Jul 17 - 06 Aug 17 : Tour Cycliste International de la Guadeloupe (Fra) 2.2
31 Jul 17 - 06 Aug 17 : The Larry H.Miller Tour of Utah (USA) 2.HC
01-13 Aug 17 : Vuelta a Colombia (Col) 2.2
10-13 Aug 17 : Tour of Colorado (USA) 2.HC
24-27 Aug 17 : Commonwealth Cycling Classic (Virginia) (USA) 2.1
30 Aug 17 - 03 Sep 17 : Tour de Santa Catarina (Bra) 2.2
30 Aug 17 - 04 Sep 17 : Tour of Alberta (Can) 2.1
9-Sep-17: The Reading 120 (USA) 1.2
24-Sep-17: Copa América de Ciclismo (Bra) 1.2
26 Sep 17 - 01 Oct 17 : Tour do Brasil-Volta Ciclistica do Estado de São Paulo (Bra) 2.2
03-07 Oct 17 : Vuelta Chihuahua Internacional (Mex) 2.2

2017 North American Women's UCI races

1-Jun-17: Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau - RR (Can) 1.1
2-Jun-17: Chrono de Gatineau - ITT (Can) 1.1
9-Jul-17: White Spot / Delta Road Race WE (Can) 1.2
30 Mar 17 - 02 Apr 17 : Joe Martin Stage Race (USA) 2.2
19-23 Apr 17 : Tour of the Gila (USA) 2.2
11-14 May 17 : Amgen Breakaway from Heart Disease Women's Race empowered with SRAM (USA) 2.WWT
29-May-17: Winston Salem Cycling Classic (WE) (USA) 1.1
4-Jun-17: Philadelphia International Cycling Classic (USA) 1.WWT
14-Jul-17: Grand Prix of Boise (USA) 1.2
19-23 Jul 17 : Cascade Cycling Classic (USA) 2.2